Changes Considered for Lotto Plus 1 and Plus 2
Last Updated: Thursday 28th January 2021, 10:57 am
Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2 could be set to offer bigger prizes in some categories. The Irish National Lottery is considering changes to its Lotto Plus games in a bid to appeal even more to players. Find out more about the potential changes.
What is Lotto Plus?
Lotto Plus is an option you can select when you buy a Lotto ticket. If you play, you are entered into three more games, which all have their draws on Wednesday and Saturday nights at the same time as Lotto.
Your numbers from the main Lotto draw are also entered into Plus 1 and Plus 2, giving you more chances to win prizes. You receive an automatically-generated Raffle code - consisting of four numbers - for every line you play.
What may be Changing?
The potential changes would see some of the prize values increase in Lotto Plus 1 and Plus 2. The following table shows the current payouts for each prize category in Plus 1 alongside the potential new payouts. Proposed changes are highlighted.
| Numbers Matched | Current Prize | Potential New Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Main numbers | €1,000,000 | €1,000,000 |
| 5 Main numbers Plus the Bonus ball |
€5,000 | €5,000 |
| 5 Main numbers | €500 | €500 |
| 4 Main numbers Plus the Bonus ball |
€50 | €50 |
| 4 Main numbers | €20 | €30 |
| 3 Main numbers Plus the Bonus ball |
€10 | €15 |
| 3 Main numbers | €3 | €4 |
| 2 Main numbers Plus the Bonus ball |
€2 Daily Million Quick Pick (2 lines) | €2 Daily Million Quick Pick (2 lines) |
In Lotto Plus 2, there are four prize categories which would increase in value under the possible changes. The table below shows how the payouts could change.
| Numbers Matched | Current Prize | Potential New Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Main numbers | €250,000 | €250,000 |
| 5 Main numbers Plus the Bonus ball |
€2,500 | €2,500 |
| 5 Main numbers | €250 | €250 |
| 4 Main numbers Plus the Bonus ball |
€25 | €30 |
| 4 Main numbers | €10 | €12 |
| 3 Main numbers Plus the Bonus ball |
€5 | €9 |
| 3 Main numbers | €3 | €4 |
| 2 Main numbers Plus the Bonus ball |
€2 Daily Million Quick Pick (2 lines) | €2 Daily Million Quick Pick (2 lines) |
Raffle Changes
The Raffle currently offers a prize of €500 to every player who matches the winning code. From time to time, around four occasions a year, special Raffle promotions are also held, in which an extra €1 million is split between the winners. There are usually around 100 winners per Raffle, so lucky players get a payout of around €10,000 in these special events. The exact payout depends on the number of winners.
Under the proposed changes, these €1 million raffle promotions would no longer take place. This would then allow the National Lottery to pay out the larger prizes that are being considered for Plus 1 and Plus 2. Lottery bosses are currently thinking about which option is best and are asking players for their input.
